Quidditch Robes Make a Girl Look Fly
by Wellplayed
Summary: Why is it that there is nothing more tantalizing than a woman drenched in mud carrying a broomstick?
1. Chapter 1

**Quidditch Robes Make a Girl Look Fly**

Why is it that there is nothing more tantalizing than a woman drenched in mud carrying a broomstick?

**Chapter 1- A Well Founded Addiction**

"And the crowd goes wild! Izar Freedmen scores again bringing Gryffindor to 110 points!" Constance McLaggen bellowed from the announcers box, her usually prominent baritone voice lost in an onslaught of cheering from the stands around her. Seconds latter, now more audible as the crowed stilled, she added, "What a brilliant pass! And ladies that's not the only thing Freedmen brilliant at if you know what I mean! Why just last nigh-"

"MCLAGGEN", barked Professor Quibang, the graying Care of Magical Creatures teacher, from the stands.

"Oi Professor, just stating facts here! I mean look at that backside…" McLaggen chortled.

"That is quite enough McLaggen. This is a-" Professor Quibang started but was cut off by a collective gasp and McLaggen yelling, "Merlin's left sock! Quincy J. Ollivander has taken the quaffle and broken away from the fray with a tremendous lead. This is what we have been waiting for all night! Hufflepuff has been playing a solid game but this is stepping it up a notch. I'd be feeling rather nervous if I were Gryffindor keeper, Robert Abbot. And here comes Hufflepuff's Vladimir Gilbert to assist Olivander with the bludgers. He sends one at Abbot who doges it and the second…"

But McLaggen never finished the sentence because a sickeningly dull thud of something hard hitting flesh resonated throughout the pitch. Gilbert hovered for a half second stiff on his broom before his body slackened and shuddered. His shoulder seemed to crumble and Gilbert's good arm came up to brace the aching shoulder as his broom veered to the side dangerously. A sharp whistle blew.

"Injury," came the gruff call of Professor Krum who was already halfway across the pitch to assess the situation at hand. Fellow Hufflepuff beater Jasper Caillat quickly came to help his wounded teammate to the ground as McLaggen began to adamantly shout about the prospects of Hufflepuff's game after such an injury.

The pair of beater had barely touched earth when Madam Barbous the schools mediwitch hurried to their side.

"Oh heavens me, the collarbone is snapped for sure," She spouted, her wand making quick work of getting the injured Gilbert into a hovering stretcher. "I'm taking Gilbert to the hospital wing right way!"

Struggling to right himself, Gilbert winced, "I can still play… I just need I moment, I swear."

"Don't be an idiot Vlad," Jasper argued, "You nearly fell off your broom just now; you need to rest. There is no way you can swing a bat with your shoulder mangled like that."

"But the game-"

"Vlad go lay down, knock back a glass of skelegrow, and get some beauty sleep," Benjamin Branstone Hufflepuff's captain told the beater after one look at Vlad's shoulder. By this time all of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team had surrounded their fallen Conrad, looks of concern evident on each face.

"Rosie has been practicing with us all month in case Stewart couldn't get out of detention she'll do fine," Benjamin Branstone decided.

"But Stewart's a seeker," Vlad protested, "Rosie has not been practicing beating."

"With the number she did not John Hinling last year, after he called her a teachers pet, I imagine she'll do just fine," Nikki Joans the Hufflepuff keeper said encouragingly, "And this time we'll give her a bat. Those blunder don't stand a chance."

Vlad made a second attempt to right himself but the captains restrain him, "Vlad I am serious about this, I need you in fighting shape for our game against the Slytherins. Jasper go fetch Rose from the stands and Nikki grab your spare set of robes from the locker room."

The two Hufflepuff players took off in opposite directions to complete their tasks as Benjamin Branstone explained the roster substitution to Professor Krum. Rose had watched the whole proceedings with avid interest from the stands but when Jasper arrived she visibly paled and shakily clambered onto the broom with the Hufflepuff beater.

"What did Madam Barbous say? Is Vlad going to be all right? Are you sure Will shouldn't be put on instead of me? He is a lot bigger that I am and-" Rose began to question her broom companion. She had a habit of saying too much too fast when she was nervous and the combination of her worry for Vlad and her lack of confidence in her beating skills were not helping the situation.

"Rose Weasley, buck up! You'll be brilliant and once we demolished the Gryffindor's you can visit Vlad and cry at his bedside."

They reached the team and black and yellow robes were thrust at Rose, who clambered to put them on.

Overhead McLaggen was narrating the roster alteration, "And in a surprising change of events Hufflepuff's very own Rose Weasley will be replacing Gilbert as beater. Now for those of you who have been living under a rock and don't know Rose Weasley, crack open a history book! Her parents kicked The Dark Lords arse, her uncle's Harry Potter, and her family big enough to populate a small country. How she got into Hufflepuff we'll never know! But Weasley's been on the second string of Hufflepuff's Quidditch team for two years and recently she's been highly favored as Hufflepuff's go to substitute player, though I don't know why. Last match against Ravenclaw she replaced Alfred Beckem as chaser but didn't score a single goal. Let's hope Weasley is less abysmal as a beater if Hufflepuff expects to make up the gap between their 70 points and Gryffindor 110 points."

Rose now adorned in the proper gear was handed a spare bat by Jasper.

"Listen here Rosie," Jasper said as he pulled her aside, "Square up. Being a beater is all about swagger. Take your air space and keep it, doesn't matter it the other guy is bigger so long as you are there first. You got it?"

"Yeah," Rose affirmed but her answer seemed hesitant.

"Alright let's crack some skulls," Jasper hooted, cuffing Rose in the shoulder with such force that it sent her back a few steps. Team members began to mount brooms and take positions.

Rose kicked off the ground and steadied herself, as she got accustomed to the weight of bat in her hand. Sweat greased her palms; she hated the feeling of hundreds of eyes following her and expecting her to perform. She was certain of her flying skill and relished the sensation of pushing her endurance to its limits but she felt such distaste of the stakes of the game. It seemed like however well she did she always came up short. After all her aunt Ginny played on Holyhead Harpies and Rose was just a 4th year who hadn't even gotten a permeate position on the Hufflepuff team.

Rose closed her eyes to calm her nerves and heard the starting whistle blow. Blinking open, the world came into sharp focus, the game speed up around her, and all her insecurities were wiped away with the need to play Quidditch.

Taking off after the closest bludger she cornered it and with a crisp thwack that caused her heart to skip a beat she sent it hurtling towards the Rodger Abbot who had to duck to avoid a collision. She felt the burn of her shoulder muscles, unused to the strenuous swing motion, and the wind in her hair as she maneuvered around a pair of chaser. The roar of the crowds and saucy commentary of McLaggen seemed to drift away and suddenly the only important thing was the fourteen players in the air and four balls.

A half hour later Gryffindor had scored once more but then Hufflepuff racked up two consecutive, well-executed, goals by Quincy and Ben. Once Rose had managed to nearly unseat Marcy Swade one of the Gryffindor chasers who dropped the quaffle in her hast to stay on the broom. Pivoting to survey for the second bludger Rose was startled to find the snitch a meter in front of her. She blink stunned for half a second and then on impulse reached out and nearly touching it before recoiling as she reminder herself that only seekers were aloud to touch the snitch.

"STEWART KEGG!" Rose roared, gesturing franticly to the snitch as it raced away. It took mere moments for Stewart and Gryffindor seeker, Bruce Maddock, to spot the snitch and crouch into a dive.

Rose franticly searched for a bludger to send at Maddock but Jasper was one step ahead. Maddock lost precious seconds swerving to circumvent Jasper's oncoming bludger.

Rose hurtled towards the other bludger as Stewart franticly pursued the Snitch. She was certain that if she could just reach the bludger and send it at Maddock it would give Stewart enough time to catch the snitch. Adrian Lacroix, Gryffindor's beater, swerved ahead of her, his bulk obscuring her view.

Mustering her strength Rose managed to gain speed coming alongside the much larger Adrian Lacroix. They jostled for the lead. Lacroix rammed into Rose's side but after years of competing with her brother she found that Lacroix had clearly misjudged her resolve and she had hardly move off course. She responded by throwing the side of her hip into Lacroix, who surprise by the force, was send scrambling to take control of his broom again.

Rose now had perfect positioning; she squared up ready to send the bludger at Maddock but Stewart's hand closed over the snitch first. Defining cheers came from the Hufflepuff stands. Rose nearly dropped her bat; she was so caught up in her tousle with Lacroix that she was unaware they had just won.

A feeling of jubilation fell over Rose. They had won! Hufflepuff beat Gryffindor for the first time in three years.

McLaggen, a Gryffindor true to from, begrudgingly summed up the match, "Well Gryffindor had a magnificent lead before Kegg managed to grab the snitch. Hufflepuff 240, Gryffindor 140. It was a valiant fight up until the end."

Rose didn't care that somehow Gryffindor snuck in two goals while the snitch distracted Hufflepuff. Pride swelled in her chest. She had helped in this victory. She had only played in a handful of proper games and this was her first win. Now she understood what euphoria felt like.

She turned to look for fellow teammates on the pitch to congratulate but instead she found Lacroix by her shoulder.

"Well played," Lacroix affirmed.

"Thank you," Rose said caught off guard, "You Gryffindors are tough competition."

"I underestimated you," Lacroix informed Rose in a tone that bordered on respect, "It's been a while since anyone has been able to throw me off balance."

Rose grinned. Playing Quidditch felt bloody brilliant.

That night Hufflepuff had paraded their champions into the common room. Rose, who had never before part of these victors, was red in the face all night from the unexpected attention she received. When the celebrations had died down the Hufflepuff team escaped to the 7th year boy's dorm where Ben and Jasper resided.

It had not been her first time to go to one of these gatherings. In fact Rose had been to nearly every one since she joined the team in 3rd year but because she rarely had the chance to play up, until now, she had always felt uncomfortable with the intimate throng of Hufflepuff teammates. Now though it all seemed natural; she was no longer self-conscious about saying something foolish.

"Trying to take my spot as beater?" Jasper accused Rose his giddy tone clearly indicating his joking manor.

"Oh you know," Rose managed to put in almost smoothly.

"I liked that move you put on Lacroix at the end of the game," Jasper continued, "Next week I'll show you how to add a little more power to your swing."

"I'd like that."

"I do believe we'll make a beater out of you yet!" Jasper hooted.

This was the beginning of a very dangerous addiction.

* * *

><p>"Well Shite, Rose Weasley, when did you become a women?" Came a smirking good-natured drawl from behind her.<p>

Twisting to get a better look at her commenter through the crowd at platform 9 and 3/4 Rose's jaw dropped when she spotted her old Quidditch pall Jasper. She cuffed him on the shoulder before pulling him into a proper hug.

"Jasper what are you doing here! You graduated ages ago!"

"My sister, Lydia a first year. Thought I'd see her off," he explained.

"Well I'll be. It's like your all grown up and responsible. Weren't you the one who threw me in the great lake for letting a bludger escape during our final match in 4th year?"

"Oi! You're one to talk," Jasper chuckled, "You've grown a good foot and look at those shoulders. I'd never though I'd say it but you almost look intimidating."

Indeed Rose had changed a great deal in the three years that had elapsed since her first win. Now a 7th year her awkward shyness was replaced with a confident presence. She had broadened from years of playing beater and at some point in 5th year curves had set in. She had gained some of the grace that her aunt Ginny was so well known for, but was built much more solidly than any of the women in her family. She looked, as her cousin Albus Potter, perhaps untactful, put it utterly unremarkable practical. Her curly red hair was tamed into a braid and she wore a comfortable old set of Quidditch robes that did very little for her figure.

"Well sir," Rose responded irreverently playing along with his mock insult, "I'll have you know one look for me and the firsties scatter."

"Rose it's been too long," Jasper sighed. "Well I've got to make sure Lydia is all set, do keep an eye out for her wont you."

"No problem. Send me a owl some time eh," Rose responded as she let throng of parents and students push her onto the train.

Albus was in the corridor as she entered already in his school robes a head boy badge gleaming on his chest next to his red and gold tie. He seemed to be holding in a breath of air so that everyone could have a better look at his new badge.

"Congratulations on the head boy appointment," Rose told her cousin.

"Thank you, thank you," He beamed, "By the way Scorpius was looking for you earlier! Said something about returning your bottle of mermaid tears. He when that way."

Rose headed in the direction indicated by her cousin but only made it half way down the corridor before she was dragged into a packed compartment. Eight or so Hufflepuff Qudditch team members occupied the confined space and Vlad who had pulled her in scooted to the far side of the bench so that she would have room to sit.

"I do believe she got uglier," Vlad said impishly to the chaser across from him, William Cadillac, as he inspected Rose.

"Well it's a good thing," Will laughed, "My fist was getting pretty soar last year for hitting all her suitors."

"Oh Shut it you two. I'm of age now and I have no qualms about hexing your ears off."

"Hey! None of that in my compartment I'm a prefect now you know," Lancelot Karbuncle, fellow chaser, said clearly excited to exercise his new power.

"So young and gone so wrong so early," Will lament, "I'm just happy to not see a head girl badge pined on this lady. After Rose's scored decent on exam week I was a bit worried. Though I might have to actually polish up my language around her, act proper, and shite."

"Patty Knott from Ravenclaw is top of the class, she made head girl. I saw her in the hall," Quincy put in.

"Figures."

A knock on the compartment door caused heads to turn. A lanky blond fellow peered in. There was a general sense of refinement in his demeanor that seemed out of place in his current company.

"Ah Weasley, I found you at last," Scorpius Malfoy greeted.

"Hey Scopus," Rose replied friendly, "How was your summer?"

Rose felt Vlad, rather obviously, place an arm around her shoulders and scoffed. The blokes were quite protective of her. This irrational hyper sense of self-entitlement at her wellbeing she found rather hilarious as it often ended in rather ridiculous preverbal pissing competitions.

"Could have been better in the beginning but I had a wonderful time at the Potters with Albus," Scorpius replied shortly, "I came to return the mermaid tears you so graciously let me borrow this summer. Thank you for owling them to me, the apothecary was out of stock and I was in a pinch."

"No problem," Rose said taking the bottle from Scorpius, "You didn't need to go through all the trouble of replacing them I had far more than I could use."

"None the less, I'd rather not take advantage of your kindness."

Scorpius seemed rather uncomfortable with the large number Hufflepuff's staring at him. His eyes averted and seemed to perch on Vlad's arm draped on Rose's shoulder.

"I'll be off. Let's catch up in class," Scorpius said before addressing the rest of the compartments occupant, "Good day lads."

As Scorpius left the compartment Rose stowed the mermaid tears.

"That Scorpius is a rather odd bloke," Quincy remarked, "How do you know him Rose?"

"We're potions partners," She replied offhand, "He's been in nearly half my classes since third year."

"Well I don't like him," William put in, "He's too well kept. You just know he's up to something."

"I find him rather dishy," Flow Wolfbane, the seeker and only other girl on the team piped up, "I'd rather like to take him behind the broom shed and-"

"Holy Hippogryph! You're a bloody 4th year if he so much as lays a finger on you I'll feed him to the giant squid," Vlad growled.

"I'd like him to lay a lot more than a finger on me," Flow egged on Vlad. Jumping out or his seat he was nearly to the door, intent on throttling the unsuspecting Scopus Malfoy, when Rose put a hand on his arm and gave him a look.

"I swear," Vlad pleaded with Rose his hands attempting to strangle a imaginary neck, "I mean she's only a fourth year and-"

"He's a very handsome and will mannered man," Rose finished for him, "Which frankly us Hufflepuff ladies don't get to see much of because you lot are so uncouth. So let the girl dream. It's not Scorpius's fault he wasn't raised by wolfs."

Scorpius, who was still within earshot of the rowdy compartment, stopped abruptly at Roses rebuke; she had called him handsome and well mannered. Could this mean- but no, Rose had never made any indication of such feeling. Still a bloke could hope. Those words had sounded far to perfect on her lips, even if she had only said it to berate her friend. He wanted to hear them again.

It bothered him how she could get under his skin and make him squirm without even meaning to. The way their hands brushed when she took the bottle of mermaid tears still had him feeling slightly flustered. He wished he could muster up the courage to call her by something other than her sir name but it felt to presumptuous and intimate. After all it always seemed like she had some lad in her arm and even though Scorpius knew form Albus that she was unattached she certainly was never that familiar with him.

"Uncouth she says! I'll have you know Rose that I am the height of gentlemanly behavior," Lancelot admonished loud enough to remind Scorpius he was skulking in the corridor. The whole compartment went up in a roar of laughter and Scorpius vacated the corridor in search of his fellow Gryffindors.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two- Hufflepuff Hooligans and Gryffindor Gentlemen**

Roses first day of class started much as it had the seven persuading year. Being a seventh year had its perk though. In pervious years she had had to battle her way through clusters of students but now her pace was unimpeded because most students had the sense to move out of her way.

As she exited a staircase two first years and a third year rather indiscreetly pointed at Rose and whispered loudly, "That Hermione and Ron Weasley's daughter."

"They are brilliant," one of the first years said in awe, "didn't they kill about a thousand death eaters each?"

"- And they both destroyed part of the dark lords soul."

"Wow," the other said his mouth agape in wonder.

While Rose still wasn't fond of how people pointed at her as if she was an interesting historical artifact she had at least learned how to ignore it. A more intimate knowledge of the secret passageways and the ability to no longer go red in the face, whenever her name was mention, certainly helped the situation. Rose did her best to look intimidating by straightening her posture and sending a look at the staring group that clearly meant bugger off.

"Her brother Hugo told me she eats babies," the third year informed the two younger students as Rose rounded the corner and entered potions.

She was one of the first students to arrive and she intended to be more than punctual. This year she was set on doing better than last year.

Rose could still remember the look of disappointment her mother tried to hide when she saw that Rose had dropped from forth to fifth on the class ranking. Rose knew her mother was hoping that Rose would get head girl this year. So when the Hogwarts letter arrived without the badge Rose did her best to keep her mouth shut when Hermione sighed and said, "Well this way you'll have more time for your studies."

Rose had wanted to scream at her mother, "Ron, your _husband_, never even made it to 7th year and he turned out just fine."

However, not wanting to cause a row, she had instead ask her mother if she might go to Diagon Ally alone this year now that she was of age.

It infuriated Rose that her parents expected her to be top of her year. They didn't care half so much about Hugo marks and her cousin Albus was even more abysmal, but everyone was impressed when he managed to get four O.W.L.s. Somehow they just expected it to come naturally for her. Everyone was always telling Rose she had her mother's brains. Rose did enjoy her studies a fair amount but her mother was probably the smartest witch in the world and how was Rose support to measure up to that.

Rose sighed. It really didn't matter so long as she got out of school with some halfway decent N.E.W.T.s. She was sure she could muster up at least four or five Outstandings and that would impress most people.

Scorpius dropped into the seat next to her. Neither Albus nor any of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team took the class. As a result, last year Rose and Scorpius became potions partners and Scorpius planed on continuing this tradition.

"I hear Professor Belby may have us brewing Polyjuice Potion this year," Scorpius told Rose eager to catch her interest.

"You many be right," Rose agreed without really paying much attention, "I saw it in our textbook."

"What page was it on? I'd like to get a better handle on its unique properties incase we have to brew it."

Rose opened her book to the mentioned passage and Scorpius started to copy down the page number. Professor Belby, a tired looking but well-groomed man, entered the room and the class became silent. They did not end up brewing Polyjuice Potion; instead they stated a powerful and very difficult antivenin potion.

"There a page and a half of ingredients," Rose observed anxiously.

"I'll get the first half of the ingredients and you can get the second," Scorpius decided keen to work with Rose, "This way we'll get done twice as fast."

Scopus and Rose fell into their old rhythm, each making their own potion but every so often stopping to help the other. Rose stirred her potion counter clockwise twice and looked over at Scopus who has trying to crack his sopophorous bean with very little success.

"Scorpius, here use this," Rose said taker her own sopophorous bean and crushing it with the broad side of her knife in example before handing the blade to Scorpius.

"Thank you, Weasley," Scopus replied with a smile removing his mangled beans from the mortar and crushing it with the knife. As he added the juice to the caldron he asked, "What's your class schedule like this year."

"It's fairly similar to last years," Rose said, pulling it out of her bag so that he might examine it.

Comparing hers with his schedule, he smiled, "We have Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology together."

"Brilliant," Rose exclaimed, "Hey, when you were at the Potters this summer did you manage to try out Harry's invisibility cloak?"

"Yes it's excellent. Albus and I spent a good week trying to figure out how we could nick it. We though it would be loads of fun at school but Mr. Potter has far to many protective jinks on it," Scorpius explained and then began to tell the very long story of their attempted pilfering of the cloak. that ended with Albus and Scorpius's rears covered in unsightly boils.

"- We couldn't sit down for about a week because they were so painful and we didn't want to let on that we had tired to nick the cloak so when dinner came around Albus told his parents that we were protesting sitting on chairs until the carpenters got paid better wages!"

Rose nearly stuffed her fist in her mouth so that the professor would not hear her laughter. The rest of the class passed quickly as the two caught up on eachother's summer. After two hours of stirring and measuring Professor Belby dismissed the class with an assignment to write a half-meter on the differences and similarities between antivenins and curing potions.

Rose and Scorpius where at the tail end of the procession from the classroom because Rose, who was taking a heavy course load, had to gather up her books. Scorpius noted the way Rose precariously balanced her books as she swung her book satchel around her shoulder.

"Here allow me," He said hastily trying to alleviate the books from her arm.

"Oh, no worries," Rose said moving the stack to a more comfortable position, "They are not heavy just a bit awkward."

"Are you sure? It would be no trouble," Scorpius said rather liking the idea of getting to carry her books but when she showed no interest he changed the subject, "I was thinking of getting an early start on the potions assignment. Would you be interested in joining me for some preliminary research?"

"Certainly," Rose agreed as they arrived at the entrance hall, "I have Quidditch tryouts but then-" Rose didn't get to finish her sentence because at that moment Vlad came racing from a side passageway.

"Will just came to the common room with treacle tart. Merlin I love Hogwarts! We've got to see if there's any left!" Vlad exclaimed to the surprised Rose, before throwing her over his shoulder and taking her books under his arm.

"Cheerio Mr. Malfoy," He shouted, to the gobstruck Scorpius, before bounding into the great hall.

"I'll meet you in the Library," Rose hollered to the retreating figure of Scorpius.

* * *

><p>Barely an hour had past between the pupils arriving at Hogwarts and Quincy J Ollivander, now the Hufflepuff team captain, placing a large poster on the common room notice board for Quidditch tryouts. So unsurprisingly by mid week Rose and the rest of the motley Hufflepuff team found their selves on the pitch with a cluster of thirty odd pupils.<p>

Quincy stood before the throng of students surveying them like a drill sergeant before proclaiming, "For those of you who don't know me I am Quincy J Ollivander the Captain of Hufflepuff team."

The few stray voices were instantaneously silenced as all eyes watched Quincy reverently.

"Quidditch is not just a game, it's life. Quidditch is not about winning, glory, or fame. It's about dedication, pushing yourself to the end of your physical abilities, and supporting your teammates. The team is family. Winning and losing is a group effort," Quincy began and Rose felt just as she had her first practice watching Benjamin Branstone giving his beginning of the year speech. She looked across the pitch at faces she had now known for year and a few she never met. She felt herself relax. She had come home.

"The best Quidditch players aren't about bruit strength, skill, or natural talent. They have heart, loyalty, and ability to keep going when shite gets tough. Now other teams like to hold tryouts and pick only whoever performs the best but in Hufflepuff we don't cut player, no it's harder. We believe in potential. On Hufflepuff Team you'll learn how to play every position, you'll know that your teammate is thinking before he does, you'll eat, sleep, and breathe Quidditch. We practice every day rain or shine. If you can commit to this then you'll stay on the team and evenly become first string, but if you are planning on doing it half-arsed then save yourself the time and leave the pitch. So congratulations you're on the team now welcome to hell!"

There was a defining silence as the newcomers looked around in terror. Most had expected a fairly straightforward test of skill. The notion that they would have to be so hardcore seemed to shake many people's resolve.

No one moved until Will rather Roguishly exclaimed, "Well damn Quincy, you got me all hot and bothered!" He made an air of acting flustered at the compelling speech of the captain, "I never knew you thought of me as family. I'm touched!"

This effectively broke the tension and some of the older members of the team even laughed.

"Had to go say we were like family didn't you," Lancelot piped up, catching on with the jest, "and here I was planning on seducing you with my impressive handling of quaffles! Now it will just be considered incest."

"He does handle the balls ever so well," Will agreed.

"He scores nearly every time," Vlad added.

"Now don't pigeonhole him mate," Rose put in, "He should learn _every_ position."

"Oi, Gilbert, Weasley, Cadillac, and Karbuncle, if your done with your verbal orgy, go get the spare quaffles from the shed," Quincy said using their surnames to effectively silence the four but Rose was pretty sure that he was holding back a double entendres of his own by the way he was unable to completely keep a smirk from his face. "Everyone else take a warm up lap!"

The first practice was grueling even for Rose who had softened up during three months of summer break. Quincy was quick to get everyone moving. After a half hour of conditioning, they run drill back to back, before starting up a scrimmage to assess the new players skills. It was a madhouse with so many Hufflepuffs up in the air and by the time practice ended more than half the students sported some sort of bruise from accidental collisions, rogue bludgers, or quaffle mishaps.

The team was released, to nurse their wounds, with the reminder that practice would commence the following day. Rose looking at the throng of black and yellow and knew that soon their numbers would dwindle. In two months the mass would drop to 10 or 11 individuals, as coursework, other clubs, and a general interest in no longer be black and blue set in. She ideally wondered who would stay.

As she taped up her palms, fresh with blisters, Vlad dropped in next to her and grabbed the tape.

"I don't know why you insist on using this tape," He said throwing a container of cream at her, "Use some of this. It works like a charm."

"Ahh that stuff's crap," Rose informed him, renewing an age-old debate over the best way to treat blisters.

"S'not," Vlad retorted rubbing some of the cream onto his blisters, which quickly began to shrink, "See they are gone already."

"Sure for now but tomorrow when we have practice they'll be back. See with tape you build up calluses."

"Or tomorrow I'll just put on the cream again and never need calluses, where as you will be in pain for the next two weeks."

Quincy joined the beaters, swatting Rose in the head with a towel, before grabbing the blister cream and applying it to his hands.

"Grab your gear and hit the showers. I'll meet you in the locker rooms in fifteen minutes. I want you two to help me with drills for tomorrows practice," Quincy informed the two.

"Yes sir," Vlad replied before beginning to collect his gear.

"And here I was hoping to snag the password to the prefect toilet from Lancelot and take a dip," Rose said, but was already trotting alongside Quincy, "I was a bit worried after Nikki graduated that we wouldn't have a prefect on the team that I could coheres. It's nice to kick back and take a soak after a bit of Quidditch. There are only showers down in the girls dormitory after all and I have gotten rather accustom to that tap with the honey scented oil."

"Ugh. You're such a girl," Vlad, who was also a frequent illegal bather, complained, "That tap should be banned."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot you were the one who like the bubbles," Rose retorted, "That not emasculating at all."

"Well you can't have a bath without bubbles. That is just silly," Vlad enlightened Rose.

They arrived at the locker rooms and the group split. Rose entered the silent girls side. She was unsurprised to find it empty, as she and Vlad were the last people on the pitch. She made quick work of taking of her kit and showering before redressing in a fresh set of school robes. Vlad knocked on the door to announce himself, waited a second to make sure everyone was decent, and then stepped into the girl's locker room.

"Quincy says you and Flow should hurry up," he explained spotting Rose as she packed up her bag.

"Flow's not here."

Vlad noticed Rose pick up a fancy looking bottle of shampoo. His eyes flickered to Roses hair and he groaned.

"Do you have to keep using that shite," He complained indicating the bottle of shampoo.

"I don't know what your problem is," Rose said stowing it, "It makes my hair soft."

"That's not all it does," Vlad remarked. Roses hair still wet from the shower was already looking rather sexy and Vlad knew that when it dried it would only get more alluring.

Rose had received a bottle of it as a birthday present in her fifth year from her aunt Ginny. The shampoo came from one of those posh stores at the far end of Diagon Ally that Rose was rarely keen on entering. Rose had liked the way the shampoo tamed her fiery locks with little effort on her part, so she kept on using it. She, however, had never noticed the effect it had on her male companions. Being a late bloomer, her new hairstyle had coincided with her filling out and suddenly blokes began to notice that she was no longer a shy and scrawny girl. After bruising his hand on one too many faces Vlad had decided the culprit of this change in men's attitudes was the result of Rose's new shampoo and since then had taken a fervent disliking to it.

"I swear that stuffs got to have veela piss in it or something. It can't be good for you. At least tie your hair up or something."

"Alright fine," Rose appeased, pleating her hair as she left the locker room with Vlad.

When they arrived in the boy's locker room Lancelot, Quincy, and two second-string players from last year, Gregory Cresswell and Angus Malt, were the only occupants. For as long as Rose could remember post practice strategy meetings were held in the boys locker rooms as majority of the team were males. By now everyone was so use to Rose and Flows presence that the blokes of he Hufflepuff Quidditch team seemed to forget that there were even girls around.

"I'm spent," Angus groaned, stretching his arms in and effort to alleviate the aching sensation.

"Sounds like you need a bit more conditioning to work out those kinks, eh chap," Quincy added jovially as he pulled off his soiled socks.

"If I have much more conditioning I might vomit up a lunge," Angus groaned in reply.

There was a commotion at the door and then Will and Flow entered the room.

"Sorry we're late. We nicked a bit of snack from the kitchen," Will explained and indeed their arms were filled with two jugs of pumpkin juice and a rather large picnic basket.

"Brilliant," Gregory exclaimed helping himself to the basket, however, after pulling out a platter of carrots and a far too health looking tin of crackers his face fell.

"What's this rabbit food?"

"Flow thought we should eat healthier," Will informed the Hufflepuff team.

"You lot are getting fat," Flow amended.

Indignation clear on his face Lancelot proclaimed, "I'll have you know I am in my prime." And with that he made a show of flexing his muscles, which while well defined, lacked the girth that would make them impressive.

"Perhaps we aught to double up on our practices," Flow decided.

"This could be arranged," Quincy said, eager at finding a fellow enthusiast. With this Quincy began a rather long and bland tactical meeting in which Quincy arms flailed considerable and a lot of very confusing diagrams were drawn.

* * *

><p>Rose raced into the library earning an impressive scowl from Madam Millhouse the librarian. Dropping her books on the table across from Scorpius she franticly whispered, "Sorry I am late. Quincy ran a tactical meeting after practice. He was drawing all these diagrams and then-" her arms moved about as she explained, in what would have been a very humorous impression of Quincy, if she were not serious.<p>

"You're here now. That's what's important," Scorpius said, knowing that if he let her continue they would lose half an hour as she regaled him with pointless Quidditch tactics.

"I really am sincerely sorry," Rose finished, "I started to pull source books during my break this afternoon. I think these will be a good base for the paper."

Rose fished out the aforementioned books from her pile and handed them over to Scorpius.

"I found a few as well," Scorpius replied indicating a short stack at his left. Rose took a seat and pulled the books towards her to inspect them. She finally managed to catching her breathe from her jog through the castle.

After looking the stack over she picked up a large volume and declared, "Well, between what I had and you found I suspect we have enough to write a paper. I think I'll start on this book."

It was then that Rose stopped moving long enough for Scorpius to got his first good look at her of the evening. His heart seemed interested in flying out of his chest. She was quite disheveled, her shirt creased from her race to the library and her hair had fallen out of place during her nap on Vlad's shoulder, while Quincy had bombarded them with diagrams. Scorpius could imagine other way that she could become this tousled, things involving him and Rose, things that probably shouldn't be thought about in the library.

She was his best mate's cousin after all. He knew she was completely off limits. Albus would never approve. Albus, as the son of Harry Potter, had a hard enough time finding good mates, who weren't interested in his reputation, fame, or fortune. Albus had never strictly forbid it but Scorpius knew that courting Rose would make Albus feel used. Scorpius wasn't about to break the trust Albus put in him.

Still, Scorpius kept finding himself seeking Rose out as a study partner and in the common room he always ended up sitting in the window seat that faced the Quidditch pitch when she practiced. It wasn't even that she was terribly attractive, when you got down to it. Take away the difference in hair color, their height, and Albus glasses and the two cousins were nearly identical. Still, Scorpius supposed from a clearly academic point of view Albus was, perhaps, a bit of a fit bloke.

However, the way Rose ran with no extra swing in her hips and the fact that her hands were nearly as large as his own, but more stiff and leathery from years of strenuous exerciser, weren't suppose to be desirable. These things weren't suppose to find their way into his mind on late nights alone in the four-poster bed, but they did. He couldn't help it though. Some time at the end of 4th year she started to carry herself with a roughish self-assured poise and suddenly these traits became just as enticing as other girls thick eyelashes and long legs.

He didn't mind that Rose never let him hold the door for her, because more the often she would be regaling him with some witty jest or else they would by pleasantly debating about the best way to extract puss from a bubotuber. Rose made him feel like he could relax, like he didn't have to be the perfect gentlemen, and could just enjoy her company. He'd do just about anything to get her to smile, because she unguardedly grinned with her whole being, and it made him feel like he was the only person in the room. It seemed stupid to shun the pleasure he got from just being her mate. That's why he tortured himself by hanging around her, even if he could never let anything happen.

Rose looked up from the passage she was reading and caught Scorpius watching her. Rose lifted an eyebrow curiously before leaning over to check out the passage he must have been interested in her reading.

Scorpius was a strange sort of a fellow, Rose mussed. Certainly nothing like any of her Quidditch blokes and sometimes something about him set her on edge. He had a quiet grace that made him look older that he was. All of his speeches and mannerisms were so polished and exact that he seemed straight out of one of those ridiculous muggle British period pieces her brother Hugo had squirreled away under his mattress. The idea of him managing to get his mouth around any of the more colourful language that frequented her speech seemed preposterous. Being around him made her feel rather maladroit, so she did her best to act ladylike in his presence.

Idly Rose wondered where her elastic had gone. She suspected that it must have fallen out sometime between practice and now. She reached in her bag for another but instead found a packet of sugar quills. Taking one she offered the rest to Scorpius.

"I better not," Scorpius informed her, "Madam Millhouse does not encourage eating in the library."

"It's just a sugar quill," Rose declared, "She'll never notice the difference."

"Well if you insist. I suppose I could indulge just this once," and with that he plucked a quill form the offered bag.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - The Wingman**

A few weeks passed in a blur of Quidditch practices and classes. Rose was quite enjoying her busy schedule but was happy that today she was escaped Arithmancy without a new assignment. As she neared the greenhouse for Herbology she was surprised to see Adrian Lacroix, Gryffindor beater, flag her down.

"Oi Weasley," He beckoned catch Scorpius's attention, as well as, Rose's.

"Yes," Rose questioned not use to talk to Lacroix.

"Did you see this?" He asked handing her the latest addition of Quidditch Quarterly. There was a spread of a very good looking beater on one side and on the other side an article was titled _Beater of the Century, Zackary "Bludger-Hands" York, Reveals the Secret to his Swing_. Eagerly taking the article her eyes devoured the text.

"Lacroix, this is golden," Rose exclaimed.

"Did you read the bit about how he angles his bat yet?" Lacroix inquired.

"No where is that?" Lacroix pointed lower down on the page as Rose took up reading again. She only got a few more sentences in before exclaiming, "Shite, did you know he hits the Bludgers roughly 750 times in a game? I don't think my average is half that."

"He's top notch," Lacroix agreed.

"And fit as hell," Rose added glancing at the photograph, "He must get serious tail."

"So if I was built like him?" Lacroix question in interest.

"Hell, I'd have a go if your batting average could measure up," Rose theorized. Scorpius felt his mouth go dry. He hadn't meant to be listening but he was only a meter behind them and they were going to the same class. He had never heard Rose talk about anything like this before. The combination of her colourful language and her choice in topic were rather dangerous to his self-resolve.

Lacroix laughed, "Your sure it has nothing to do with his looks?"

"Your telling me, if you met a bird who had a hitting average of over 750, you wouldn't be seriously turned on?" Rose questioned.

"Point taken."

"I've never thought about my elbow placement before," Rose said as she continued reading. Scorpius was still reeling from the fact that she had been talking about having a go. He couldn't understand how she got on the topic of elbows.

"He does a great job of explaining how to predict the trajectory of a Bludger too," Lacroix added, who was doing a much better job at keeping up.

A burst of humidity hit Rose and Lacroix as they entered the greenhouse. The two stopped at the doorway.

"Thank you for letting me have a look at the article," Rose said passing the magazine back to Lacroix. "I'm going to have to owl for a copy."

"No problem," Lacroix assured her, "The article was so brilliant I had to share it; even if you are the enemy. Gryffindor hasn't found a new beater yet and I'm literally going mad. No one seems to understand the beauty of this masterpiece."

Lacroix nearly threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Well it's their lose," Rose reassured him before cheekily adding, "I hope you do find someone soon or Vlad and I will leave your team black and blue in the next match."

"Oi, Charles may have left but you still have me to contend with," Lacroix rebuked.

They parted ways, Lacroix joining the Gryffindors in the back and Rose greeting Will in the front. Will, like Scorpius, was surveying Rose and Lacroix's interactions with interest since they had entered the greenhouse. Rose pulled out some parchment and a quill for taking notes in class ignoring the look on Will's face.

"What did _he_ want," Will asked icily wrapping an arm around Rose waist.

"Oh the usual," Rose informed him good naturedly looping her arm around his back to calm him, "Just talking a bit of Quidditch,"

"Well he better keep his broom in the cupboard," Will told Rose.

"It's not like that," Rose reassured him with a role of her eyes.

"Maybe not for you, but I know how blokes think. You're a bit of a heartbreaker, love," Will reprimand her.

"I'll do my best to be repulsive," Rose declared to her teammate.

From across the greenhouse Scorpius was trying, in vain, to hide his reaction as he watch Rose and Will. He was to far off to hear what they were saying but clearly something was going on with the two. They were completely tangled in each other, deep in an animate discussion. He feared that at any moment they would start snogging but instead Will poked her on the nose pointedly and Rose retaliated by hitting him in the shoulder. Rose moved way from Will but he quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her back as he said something. The pair collapsed into hysterics at whatever Will said.

This was probably the worst part of not chasing after Rose, he was not support to show how much it hurt to watch her being friendly with other blokes, and she was _never_ without a male companion. He didn't even think she had any female mates. Worst of all he couldn't even hate her for being familiar with lads because it was a well-known fact that she did not fool around. He guessed that if she was the least bit promiscuous it might have been easier for him to find her undesirable. Scorpius had always found monogamy rather appealing.

The steady tenor of Professor Longbottom commanding the class to be silent cause Will and Rose to straighten up and take their seats. Scorpius had never been happier to see his head of house.

* * *

><p>Later that evening Rose and Lancelot were enjoying a rousing game of Wizards Chess in the common room.<p>

Lancelot laughed in glee as one of his pawns smashed Rose's knight.

"Bugger," She cursed moving her last remaining castle to safety, "I don't know why you bother playing me. You always win."

"Well there was that one time in third year," Lancelot recalled.

"Oh that doesn't count. Will was coaching me," Rose reminded him.

The quick, heavy, footfall that usually announced Vlad could be heard but before either player had the chance to look up, Vlad came crashing over the back of the couch and onto their game.

"Mates," He greeted from the pair's laps, "I'm in love!"

He was covered in a layer of sweat and still wore his Quidditch robes, so he had clearly just come from the pitch.

With an affronted look at Vlad, Lancelot exclaimed, "That's disgusting."

Unperturbed by Lancelot's appalled face, Vlad continued, "She's a beaut."

"Well I hope it is not contagious," Lancelot worried aloud as he hurried to collect his chess set and left in search of a new chess partner.

Rose, who had experienced six or seven of Vlad's declarations of love, gave Vlad a look of sympathy.

"Well out with it. Who is it?" Rose encouraged him.

"Poppy Fronsac," He breathed. Rose could not place the girl. Though this was unsurprising as she wasn't very good at keeping up conversations that didn't have the word Bludger in it every few sentences.

"And what's she like," Rose asked.

"I haven't a clue. She's in Ravenclaw."

Had this been any other person Rose would have marched him to the hospital wing for fear that someone had slipped a strong dowse of love potion into his breakfast. Sadly, however, this was not her first time she has seen him enamored.

"How did you meet?"

"Ah Rose. I wish you were there. I was having a bit of a fly around the grounds, on account of the warm weather, when this foxy lass comes out of nowhere."

"Do tell more," Rose supplied in an attempt to be supportive but she was losing interest already.

"Well then she did a Double Sloth Grip Role without dropping the Quaffle. So I don't remember much else."

"Ohh," Rose gasped fanning herself with her robes in an effort to calm herself, "That _is_ hot."

"I know," Vlad agreed. The two beaters sat in silence at the gravity of such a well-preformed move.

Three minutes later Quincy found Vlad draped over the back of the couch upside down where he had fallen and Rose next to him, both flabbergasted.

"What happened?" Quincy asked.

"Can't tell you," Rose said, "You'd wet yourself with excitement."

"I'm in love," Vlad proclaimed.

"Bugger," Quincy groaned, "Not a-bloody-gain."

"She's ace," Rose informed Quincy.

"Dumbledore's Beard! You too," Quincy exclaimed. Rose usually was more rational when dealing with Vlad in this state.

"Just make sure he takes a Vow of Quidditchhood before you two do anything stupid," Quincy advised.

"Vlad," Rose commanded.

He raised his right arm and placed it on his heart before continuing, "I solemn swear to uphold the Hufflepuff Vow of Quidditchhood. Be it during exam time or lovers quarrel, I pledge life and limb to the pursuit of Quidditch excellence. I will make it to practice on time and play brilliantly during games or so help me Merlin."

"Better Captain?" Rose questioned.

"I suppose," Quincy begrudged, "Rose, do keep an eye on him won't you?"

With that, the captain left to join Lancelot on the far side of the room, where his game of chess had attracted quite a crowd. The two beaters lapsed into silence for a bit before Vlad turned to Rose.

In a more sensible tone than he had used all afternoon he asked, "I know I just met her, and am being a bit of a nutter but she seems really nice. I'd like to get to know her better and I'm just rubbish with the ladies. Will you be my wingman?"

"For you, or course," Rose said ruffling his hair.

"Thank you."

"You do know I am a women though," Rose reminded Vlad.

"Yeah, but you don't count."

"Vlad, I am not sure whether I should be offended or not."

"I'd probably be offended, if I were you," Vlad told Rose wolfishly.

* * *

><p>Three days had passes since Vlad's first sighting of the elusive Poppy Fronsac and he was beginning to get on the Hufflepuff team's nerves. Rose watch Vlad over her breakfast from across the table. Each time someone in blue and bronze entered the Great Hall he'd sit up a little taller in hopes that it would be Poppy Fransac. When it turned out not to be her, his whole body would crumble and he would go back to stirring his breakfast without actually eating it. During lunch, yesterday, he had actually spotted her and for the rest of the meal his eyes had followed her in fascination as he spooned mushroom soup into his lap.<p>

The only conversation Rose had managed to get out of Vlad this morning was Vlad asking, "Did you know she likes raisins?"

To which Rose replied with a hint of annoyance, "Yes, this is the fifteenth time you told me. Does she have a stance on fish and chips too?"

"I don't know."

In this way no conversations would last very long as Vlad knew basically nothing about Poppy Fronsac. Either Vlad's seduction techniques were subtler than Rose could fathom or his entire game plan revolved around eyeing Fronsac longingly for across the hall. Rose was beginning to realize that she was going to have to be a hell of a wingman if she was hoping to have something besides a puddle of flesh as her fellow Beater. At least Fransac hadn't caught him staring yet, Rose noted.

Still, as intolerable as Vlad was being, Rose was just the tiniest bit jealous. Rose never knew what that felt like to be so completely enamored. Sure she'd had her fair share of schoolgirl crushes, the most notable being in 2nd year for the debonair 5th year Benjamin Branstone, but they had been just that, crushes. Rose had squashed them quick never letting them get beyond a little flutter of attraction. Vlad, however, experienced desire the way he experienced everything else, with a fervent intensity.

Rose was happy with her lot in life, actually, more than happy. She had a fabulous group of mates, her studies were going excellent, and for the most part, aside from the occasional first year, people seemed to forget that she was the daughter of two war heroes. However, Last night she had lain in her four-poster wondering what it would be like to have her heart race as rapidly as the beating of a Snitch's wings and know that she would do anything for one special person. She suspected it would be rather wonderful and she wished it would happen to her.

But it hadn't.

Nonetheless it had happened to Vlad and Rose wasn't about to be a stick in the mud. Vlad was one of her best mates after all and his feelings were rather important to her. So if she couldn't be in love she was just going to have to be the most brilliant wingman in existence. This was a good thing as for Vlad, as he was having trouble forming full sentences.

Rose looked over at him sympathetically as his face collapsed from yet another failed sighting of Poppy Fronsac.

"Listen I am just going to go have a chat with Hugo," Rose explained getting up from her seat. Vlad nodded his eyes not straying from the door. Rose supposed it was better that he was too far-gone to notice her leaving.

Making her way over to the Gryffindor table she spotted Hugo in the center of a throng of 5th years. Rose's brother, Hugo, to put it lightly was a huge gossip. So she usually kept her privet life pretty quite around him.

"How is my favorite little brother," Rose asked squeezing in-between Hugo and her cousin Lily on the bench.

"Rose, I'm your _only _brother," Hugo reminded her.

"But your still my favorite," Rose said pinching his cheek, "Listen I had a question. What did you know about Poppy Fronsac?"

Hugo eyes lit up at the idea of possible gossip.

"The fairly attractive blond Ravenclaw?" Lily asked.

"That's the one."

"What do you want to know? And more importantly why?" Hugo questioned eagerly.

"Well everything. I heard she can do a Double Sloth Grip Role but she is not on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team," Rose explained, editing out Vlad's obvious interest in the topic.

"She a real Ravenclaw," Hugo told her, "Apparently she loves Quidditch but she doesn't want it to interfering with her education. She's a 6th year and there is a good chance she may make head girl next year. My bet is on Frank Capeskin though. Last year she was dating Eli Midgen but they broke up over the summer. I think she was a bit torn up about the whole thing too, cause she hasn't dated anyone since, and apparently she only made an Exceeds Expectations on her last DADA exam."

"Does she have any hobbies or anything?"

"Well she spends a lot of time in the library," Huge surmised.

"Oi Weasley what brings you to Gryffindor," came a voice from the right of the two siblings. They turned to see Adrian Lacroix halfway down the table sitting with the three Gryffindor chasers. He excused himself from his companions and trotted up to Rose and Hugo.

"I am a Gryffindor," Hugo reminded Lacroix in a confused tone.

"Oh sorry Hugo. I guess I should have said Rose," Lacroix amended.

"I'm visiting my brother," Rose answered the beater's earlier question.

"Well, while you're here, I'd like to invite you to a Quidditch scrimmage. The team has been talking about it and we think it is just crazy that we only get to play three or four games a season with all the practicing that we do. So this weekend were inviting whoever interested to have a scrimmage. We'd like to get all the houses involved," Lacroix explained.

"Sounds like fun I'll see if any of the lads are free," Rose agreed happily. She got up to head back to Hufflepuff but then stopped when she thought of something.

"Listen Lacroix, Do you know Poppy Fronsac?" Rose inquired.

"Sure thing, She is a good mate of my sister."

"Well I hear she has some pretty solid moves and I've been hoping to see them in action. Would you mind inviting her?"

"For you I'd gladly make sure she comes to the scrimmage," Lacroix assured, "In fact I'll ask her right now."

"You're the best," Rose grinned.

She watched Lacroix make his way over to Ravenclaw as she bid her brother and cousin goodbye. As she walked back to Hufflepuff table Lacroix gave her a thumbs up. Rose felt immensely satisfied with her well-lain plot and ideally wondered if she was better suited for Slytherin house.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- The Poppy Fronsac Effect

With the news that Vlad would get to meet Poppy Fronsac on the weekend Vlad snapped out of his funk. He was back to his jovial, energetic, and slightly insulting ways. On Thursday evening when Rose refused to let him copy her Care of Magical Creatures assignment he actually got enough backbone to feed Rose's Quidditch magazine to a thestral. Things couldn't have been going better until the morning of the scrimmage. Vlad woke up plagued with insecurity.

"Do I look dashing," Vlad questioned Rose for the 5th time.

"You look fine," Rose said. She gave Vlad a once over. He had clearly tried to do something with his hair because it stuck up in places.

"But would you shag me?" Vlad continued. Rose nearly choked on the muffin she was eating. Vlad thumped her on the back.

"You all right there? Hasn't anyone ever told you to chew your food before you swallow it?" Vlad asked.

"Merlin's wand! Vlad, you can't just ask a bird if she'd shag you," Rose tried to reason with him.

Vlad being his incorrigible self went right back to asking, "Well would you?"

"NO!" Rose gasped.

Will took a seat next to Rose at the breakfast table and asked, "Did Vlad just ask if you'd bang him? He asked me the same thing up in the dorm. I told I'd throw him on the bed and shag his senseless."

"See Rose that's what a mate is suppose to say," Vlad informed Rose.

"You are all blooming mental," Rose lamented.

Vlad went back to staring at himself in the back of a spoon. He pushed his hair around a bit and it limply fell back in place.

"Rose do something to it wont you," Vlad asked.

"Listen, I'm your wingman not your fairy godmother. Go find Flow if you want someone to touch you up. I'm rubbish as beauty charms," Rose said in between bites of her muffin.

"Your brilliant," Vlad exclaimed and quickly excused himself to track down Flow.

"Does he know that his robes are on backwards?" Will asked.

"I didn't have the heart to tell him," Rose said.

* * *

><p>Conditions couldn't be better when Rose walked onto the pitch with Vlad, Will, and Quincy in toe. Summer was making it last hurrah. The air felt balmy and everyone was dressed in his or her lightweight Quidditch robes. A throng of people already filled the pitch. Player sported the colors of every house team, a few, like Poppy Fronsac, wore robes denoting professional teams. One bloke was adorned in proper muggle athletic wear.<p>

As they marched up to the crowd Rose caught the lad in muggle attire say, "These muggle shorts are great. You never have to worry about someone looking up your robe!"

Rose spotted Lacroix and made her way through the mass to him.

Clapping him on the back she exclaimed, "What a turnout. You Gryffindor sure know how to throw a party!"

Rose placed her arm around her cousin Albus who stood a foot off.

"Hey there," Albus greeted her. A few girls glared at Rose reproachfully. Albus was never shy of female attention.

"Who's in charge here?" Rose asked.

"Well some of the team put it together," Albus said, referring to Gryffindor, before adding, "Scorpius is around here somewhere. You know he's rubbish at playing, but he's agreed to split up the teams and referee the match. I figure between the earful he gets from you and I he probably knows more rules than anyone."

Scorpius appeared and Albus shouted, "Speak of the devil! I bet everyone is here now. Lets see if I can't get people organized."

With that Albus began calling for everyone to quite. In the few minutes that it took to sufficiently silence the crowd Rose caught Scorpius' attention.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor," She politely asked Scorpius, "My friend Vlad has been trying to work up the nerve to talk to Poppy Fronsac all week. I was wondering if you could place them on the same team."

Rose knew that Scorpius wasn't the type of person to gossip so she was rather straightforward about her motives.

"I'd be more than happy to oblige a women with matchmaking schemes," Scorpius said, hoping to receive one of Rose's good-natured smiles.

Sure enough, a grin broke across her face as she exclaimed, "Thank you. You're kindness wont go unappreciated."

By then the crowd was silenced. Albus gave a long-winded speech about sportsmanship and improving house-to-house relationships. He then turning the floor over to Scorpius, who began calling out rosters for scrimmage teams. When the crowd was divided into two teams Vlad couldn't believe his luck when he ended up on Fronsac's team.

"It's like I drank Felix Fleicis or something," He told Will, who had also been placed on his team.

"Well don't let it go to waste," Will said, who had seen Rose a few minutes earlier talking in hushed tones to Scorpius.

Rose, who had been placed on the apposing team, broke away from her team and walked up to Will and Vlad's team.

"Looks like Scorpius decided that it's not fair to have too many talented beater on one team," Rose said making an effort to catch Poppy Fronsac's attention, "Fronsac you're lucky to have Vlad on your team. He's a god on a broom."

Vlad beamed at the two girls.

"You play on Hufflepuff team right?" Fronsac asked.

"Yes. Rose and I are beaters," Vlad put in, enthusiastically adding, "I saw you flying on the pitch the other day. Where did you learn to do a Sloth Grip Role?"

"My father believes Quidditch is a religion," Fronsac said, "If my mother would let him, he'd probably have named me Quaffle."

"Really?" Vlad questioned in interest, "Did he play on a house team when he was at Hogwarts?"

It seemed obvious that Vlad no longer needed her help, so Rose turned to rejoin her team. Rose surveyed the pitch. The teams were beginning to take positions and Albus was loudly hollering, "Five minutes until game time."

Due to the vast number of attendees the game would be played with five chasers on each team. Rose would be playing beater alongside Quincy, Lacroix, and a half dozen other peoples, including the bloke in muggle cloths. Rose mounted her broom and kicked off the ground. The resistance of the air as she cut threw it felt wonderfully cool. Rose let out a whoop. She reached her arms above her head, stretched, and rolled her head in a circle to work out the kinks. After a few warm up laps around the stands Rose hurried into position.

Scorpius his voice magically enhanced pronounced, "Players take your positions. Game on!"

He threw the Quaffle in the air and dove out of the way as ten chasers descended on the ball. Rose tore after the first blunder she saw and sent it shooting towards the other teams keeper. Rose figured with the congestion of chasers on the field Bludgers would be most effective if they were used to shut down the keeper's efficiency.

Vlad, however, had gone for a much riskier shot and with aimed practice he sent a Bludger crashing towards one of Rose's teammates. Rose swerved to avoid a chaser as she raced to intercept Vlad's Bludger. She could hear her blood pumping in her ears. The shear force of the wind against her body made it impossible to take anything but short gasps of air.

Then the adrenalin kicked in and the stinging in her lungs tasted like pure bliss. She managed to knock the Blugger out of its current trajectory, but her aim was poor. The other beater on Vlad's team made quick work of sending it at Rose's seeker and this time Rose was not fast enough. The seeker had to turn sharply to avoid a collision.

Scorpius flew high above the action, calling fouls as he saw necessary. It was a pretty clean game as far as Quidditch went. Which left him time to scout the sky for Rose. Truth be told, Scorpius was looking forward to playing referee ever since he found out Rose would be in attendance. He had observed Rose from the stand a plethora of times but had never gotten the chance to see her play up-close.

Now everything was in sharp relief. Rose was a beater, and while most of the players flew ducking low in their brooms to diminish wind resistance, Rose sat tall so she could get a more powerful windup on her swing. Hands nearly always occupied with her bat Rose rarely reached down to take control of her broom. Instead she soared through the air steered only by the shifting of her weight. Scorpius, who hands gripped his own broom, knew it must take a lot of strength to keep the broom in control. Jolting her hips forward she sent her broom into an impressive dive, which she straightened out, seconds later, her abdominal muscles visibly clenching under her robes at the effort. There was an unmistakable dominance and knowledge of the broom beneath her.

It was sinful, what watching Rose fly did to Scorpius's body. To think of the control and power that when into each little movement made him knuckles go white as he grasped the handle of his broom. What she might be able to do with her mouth, fingers, and tongue seemed the natural line of inquiry.

Scorpius snapped his attention back to the game at hand. While he rather enjoyed watching Rose fly he did not need such thoughts on the open Quidditch pitch. That would be rther problematic. He could always review the details later in the privacy of his dormitory.

Fronsac scored on the keeper earning praise from a chaser to her right. They were an hour and a half into the game and with the abundance of chaser, points were being raked up I quick secession. Rose team was up 290 points to 220. Vlad was being overly protective of Fronsac and Rose was using it to her advantage as she pummel the other exposed player on his team. A fowl was called as one chaser accidentally elbowed another chaser in the face. The damage was not severe so play resumed quickly.

Rose and Lacroix both sent Bludgers at the opposing keeper as their chaser neared to score and sure enough She made the goal. Two blurs streaked flashed across the pitch and the game was over. Albus rolled onto the ground the snitch clutched in his hand. His entire team, including Vlad and Fronsac, erupted in excitement.

Lacroix bumped Rose gently on her side. With a toothy grin he said, "It's nice to not have to worry about you trying to push me off my broom for once."

"It's great to not have you obstructing my view of the Bludger," Rose agreed.

"We should do this again," Lacroix decided.

"Just give me a shout and I'll round up the lads," Rose replied, "I don't care that we lost. It's the perfect day for Quidditch."

Rose was feeling exquisite. The little tenseness she had started the day with was replaced by a healthy dose of endorphins. She looked over at her cousin, Albus, he was evidently enjoying his win. Red in the face, he was retelling his plight in obtaining the snitch to a group of chasers. To his left Vlad and Fronsac were chatting in a way that made Rose suspect she would be seeing a lot more of Fronsac in the future.

She wrangle the bludgers back into the equipment trunk, knowing that alone it would take Scorpius all evening.

"Thank you," Scorpius said as Rose pushed the final Bludger into place.

"Are you still interested in study for the herbology test at six?" Rose asked.

"Yes," Scorpius affirmed as they joined the procession to the locker rooms.

* * *

><p>On Rose way to the library, later that evening, She ran across Vlad in the entrance hall. Vlad picker her up and spun her around.<p>

"Hey little lady," Vlad beamed.

"I take it things must have gone well with Fronsac."

"Excellently," Vlad affirmed, placing her on the ground, "After the game we walked around the grounds for nearly an hour."

"Congratulations," Rose celebrated.

"She's prettier up close," Vlad honestly continued, "She smart and straightforward. She hasn't any sense of humor, but I sort of like that. It made our conversation very profound. Rose I talked about current events!"

"Really?" Rose said in astonishment. She was under the impression that Vlad had never picked up a newspaper.

"It is a good thing I had the sense to charm mustaches onto all those committeewomen on the front page of yesterday's _Prophet_. We talked about the first women's committee on magical contraception for nearly half an hour."

Rose looked at him her mouth agape, she had no clue what that was. After all, Rose always skipped to the Quidditch section whenever she opened the paper.

"I must have sounded halfway intelligent too, cause we're studying together tomorrow evening."

"Nice," Rose smirked.

"I mean it's not a date yet, but it's a start," Vlad told her anxious for her approval.

"And you say you're rubbish with the birds. You didn't even need a wingman. A few late night studying sessions and you'll have her begging for a date," Rose encouraged, hoping that the downplaying of her involvement would give him courage.

"Don't be nutters Rose, I'll always need you as my wingman," Vlad assured her throwing and arm around her shoulder, "Rose, she makes me cross-eyed and weak in the knees."

"That sounds lovely," and to Rose it really did.

Noting the corridor they entered Vlad asked, "You're going to the library aren't you?"

"Yes," Rose assented, half lost in her train of thought.

"I'll see you later then," Vlad said removing his arm, "I'm not spending any more time in there than I blooming have to."

As Vlad lumbered away, Rose looked back at her mate. The agreeable way he talked about Fronsac remind her of something he had said to her in 5th year, after he had his first proper snog with Anna Wood.

Keen to recount the event to someone who wouldn't doggedly buffer him with insensitive commentary, Vlad had ended up in the women's locker room with Rose. At that point Anna Wood was the first girl he had fancied. Rose, curious at Vlad intentions, had asked how he felt about Anna Wood.

Vlad had told Rose that being around Anna made him forget his name. It was like the whole world turned with Anna at the center. Anna made his hands sweat and his body hum silently. Just to hold her gave him the overwhelming sense that he never wanted to leave. When they parted ways Vlad felt like a little part of him was empty. Sort of like when he forget to eat breakfast before Quidditch practice, but not amount of food could fill it. Vlad had described the whole experiences as both tantalizing and comforting.

Ever since Vlad had told Rose this it had been something she had wanted to experience first hand. As time passed it had been pushed a little further back in her mind. Now, seeing Vlad act the way he had, brought this interest to the forefront of her mind.

Rose arrived at the library a few minutes early, took her customary seat, and pulled out her Herbology notes. She tried to focus on the words she had written but her thoughts kept drifting back to Vlad's declaration.

Scorpius joined her at the table she looked over at him. He seemed a little worse for wear this evening. She though she saw a slight discoloration under his eye, but her mind was elsewhere.

Rose was curious. Had Scorpius ever felt the way Vlad had described? She had never followed gossip very thoroughly, perhaps, because between, her parents notoriety and her apparently incomprehensible friendships with too many lads, she never liked what people had to say about her. Still, as far as she knew Scorpius had ever shown a wink of interest in anyone.

She wondered if he understood her plight. Was he also waiting to find some who could set his nerve endings on fire or had he already found her?

Rose opted not to vocalize her quarry. As Rose glanced over at the man next to her she couldn't help feeling that whomever this girl turned out to be she was lucky. Scorpius was kind, smart, and a complete gentleman. She hoped that whenever Scorpius fell for a girl he would not disappear from her life completely.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- The Stinging Spell **

Sopping wet from practice, Rose opened her Quidditch locker and was surprised to find a bar of Honeydukes chocolate that had not been there before practice. There was no note attached and Rose was puzzled at first. Then she remembered that yesterday, after three weeks of courting, was Vlad's first date with Poppy. Apparently, the two hours of conversation cards she helped Vlad write had not gone unappreciated.

She tucked the chocolate into her bag for later. Vlad could be sweet when he wanted to be. She supposed that was why she never got angry at him for too long when his antics lead to her being dangling over the Black Lake to taunt the merpeople or something equally unpleasant. Then again, they were probably even ages ago for the merpeople incident. She was the one who landed them in detention when she came up with the brilliant idea to charm all the names on the other teams' Quidditch robes to read things like Albus Plopper and Adrian La-crotch.

"Good times," She audibly chuckled.

"What are you on about?" Flow asked, as she stripped off her soaked robes.

"Oh nothing," Rose said.

Rose debated whether it was even worth changing into school robes. She knew that she would just get drench again as soon as she left the shelter of the locker room.

Due to the first game of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, tomorrow Quincy was giving the team their first day from practice. Although, Rose knew that they would inevitably making up the lost time, with double practices the day after the game, she intended to use this free time to enjoy herself. A decent bath in the prefects loo seemed just the sort of indulgence she was interested in.

Making up her mind Rose gallivanted the distance between the men and women's locker room. She banged on the door, so that the occupants would be aware of her presents, and then walked in. All the lads looked pretty waterlogged.

"Oi, Lancelot," Rose shouted. Lancelot came out of the showers, a towel wrapped around his waist, not the least bit surprised to see a girl standing in the locker room.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Could I nick the password to the prefects loo from you?" Rose asked.

"What do you want it for?" Lancelot questioned.

"Thought I'd take a soak," Rose explained, "Nikki use to sneak me in all the time."

"Now that is something I'd like to see," Will grinned, unlacing his flying trainers.

"Sorry it's a birds only party," Rose teased him.

"You know we have a shower right here and I wouldn't mind sharing," Will countered jokingly.

"How that line ever works on birds is beyond me," Rose snorted.

"Can't blame a bloke for trying," Will lamented unfazed.

Turning to Lancelot she asked, "So, how about it Lancelot?"

"I guess it is all right. Just make sure you don't get caught. The password is Pepperup Potion."

"I really appreciate this," Rose thanked Lancelot.

"You know I hear that there is room for at least two in that prefect tub. Mind it I-" Will started cheekily, but stopped abruptly when he saw a look of anger flood over Rose's features.

Rose was staring at the far wall of the locker room rooms. There was an assortment of bras tacked to the wall with sticking charms. This wasn't what caught her attention though. They had been there for as long as Rose could remember, cataloguing her male teammate's conquests. No, what bothered her in particular was just one bra. Blue and frill less it stuck out among the collection; an exact replica of the bra she had packed in her bag this morning. Rose suspected that if she checked her bag now it would be missing.

"Vlad," she scowled, marching over to the offensive object and charming it off the wall.

"Yes," Vald said innocently, appearing from between a row of lockers. He had managed to get halfway into his robes, so the only part of him visible was an arm protruded out of the mass of fabric.

"What's this?" Rose asked.

Vlad's head appeared through a sleeve, as he tried to put the robe on.

"That's a bra Rose," Vlad smirked.

"-And who's bra is it," Rose accused.

Vlad's head reemerged in the proper opening.

"Yours," Vlad answered.

"-And what is it doing in here?" Rose asked in an impressive finally to the interrogation.

"It is being admired for its glorious bosom enhancing qualities," Vlad informed her, "I don't see why you are so upset. It is a time-honored tradition. You are becoming part of history!"

"Keep your ruddy hands off my undergarments," Rose growled her wand pointing dangerously close to Vlad's face, "If I ever see one of my bras in this locker room again I'll tack you up on that wall, in nothing but your pants."

With that declaration Rose turned and stalked out of the room.

As the door clattered shut Will turned to Vlad and proclaimed, "I can't believe we didn't think of that sooner. Next time we will have to use a stronger sticking charm."

* * *

><p>Rose reemerged a few hours later from her bath feeling refreshed. The rain had stopped but the sky remained overcast, covering the castle in a gloomy, early evening, light. Rose took the long way back to the common room, enjoying a rare moment to herself. The castle was unbelievably quite. Everyone had clearly chosen to vacate the halls in favor of comfortable fires.<p>

As Rose turned into the charms hallway Scorpius blew past her. He was walking in long strides his face lowered, as though to hide it. Rose was so surprised to seeing someone else in the silent halls, that Scorpius had almost made it out of sight, before she realized that Scorpius did not usually carry himself in this manner.

"Scorpius," Rose called in the direction he was retreating.

He stopped, as though unsure that to do, and then continued walking away. Rose could tell that something was off. She picked up her pace and came along side Scorpius.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, concern evident on her face.

"I'd rather not say," Scorpius said in a quiet tone. He slowed his pace but refused to look over at Rose. His response only heightened Roses anxiety and she put a hand on his arm to halt him completely. He persisted in covering his face.

"Scorpius whatever it is, you can tell me," Rose voiced. He couldn't bring himself to lower his hands. He hated anyone seeing him like this, most of all Rose. He tried to push past her once more, but years of Quidditch practice made her a formidable obstacle. He felt one of her hands gently come up to remove the hands that concealed his face.

Rose let out a little gasp when she saw that he had tried to hide from her. His face was swollen, a telltale sign that a strong stinging hex had been placed on him.

"Oh Scorpius," Rose questioned, "Who did this to you?"

"It's nothing," Scorpius rebuffed her, trying to move out of Rose's sight. He felt ashamed that she has seen him like this. He always tried his best to show Rose his strong, noble side. This was defiantly not his shining moment. All he wanted to do was to find his way to the hospital wing before anyone else caught sight of him.

"This is not nothing," Rose said horrified. She fished in her bag for her wand and told him, "Stand still," before muttering a healing charm. Scorpius's face reduced in size and his features became recognizable again. Nothing was left from the Hex except a slight discoloration along his jaw where it hit.

"It's not perfect, but you should be able to see now," Rose apologized observing her handwork, "I've never been great at healing charms but I've gotten a lot of practice with all the Quidditch mishaps."

His vision now unimpeded Scorpius could see the concern in Rose's expression. Somehow her worry for his wellbeing surprised Scorpius. He could count, on one hand, the number of people who actually cared for him. Scorpius hadn't thought to put Rose in that category, but the way that her whole being seemed to be focused on him made Scorpius question this choice. She looked up into his face and drew her thumb lightly over his bruised jaw. Scorpius held in his breath, so she couldn't see the pain that her tender touch had invoked.

Rose pulled away quickly, from the way his breath hitch she could tell it hurt. Scorpius was usually so passive, reserved, and guarded with his emotions. Rose knew that whatever had just happened must have been substantial, because a dark tumult echoed in his eyes.

Scorpius was the gentlest, kindest, and most well-mannered guy she knew. She couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt him. She also didn't comprehend how it happened. Scorpius was a quick witted and skilled duelist. Someone was clearly playing dirty.

"What happened?" Rose repeated, "Who hexed you? I'll kill them!"

Rose's own pronouncement startled her. She sounded like her father.

Scorpius couldn't bring himself to tell Rose about this. What would she think? They were only study partners after all, it wasn't like they hung out and visited each other on holidays.

Scorpius always found that these things were more manageable when less people knew about them. He did not know how Rose would react. They had never talked about his father's, not so pleasant, history before. If her family's stance on the matter was any indications of how she'd react, surely telling her would only make him feel worse.

"Please Weasley, could we just pretend this didn't happen," Scorpius almost begged. He wanted to turn in the other direction and run.

Scorpius may have been a head taller that Rose, but when Rose glanced up at him he reminded her of a child. Scorpius' air of distress was reminiscent of the way Hugo use to look at her, back in first year, when he was homesick. Rose couldn't help it, she pulled Scorpius into a hug the way she use to hug Hugo, before he decided he was too old to have his older sister hug him when he was upset.

Scorpius stiffened at first, not sure how he should react. This was the first time anyone had held him since he was little. Unconsciously he felt himself relax. He let his head fall onto her shoulder and nestle in her wet hair. Wrapped in her arms he felt safe. Hot tears suddenly found their ways into Scorpus's eyes for the first time in years.

"It'll be ok," Rose soothed.

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with this," Scorpius whispered.

"S'allright. Your easier to take care of than Vlad mooning after Poppy Fronsac," Rose joked.

"It is not always this bad," Scorpius began. Now that he started he was unable to stop. It felt good to voice his trouble. He took a long breath and began to recount, "It was worst in first year, my whole house hated me then, even Albus. My family may have a few murders in it, but I didn't kill anyone. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that. It doesn't take much bravery to hex a first year with no mates and Gryffindor has more bravery than sense sometimes."

Scorpius's words were half mumbled into Roses hair. He couldn't bring himself to look at her but he couldn't stop talking either.

"They eventually wised up. Still I'm not sure I even blamed them for what they did to me. When I finally got up the nerve to read about some of the things my family did I was sick. No one talks about it at home."

Rose rub circles in Scoprius's back as if to reassure him. She knew what it was like to live with a parent's notoriety and her grandfather wasn't rotting in Azkaban.

"After second year things got better. Albus and I realized we had a lot in common and became mates. That seemed to wake up most people to the fact that I was not a villain. The rest just seemed to get bored when they couldn't get a rise out of me. I became too good of a dueler for anyone to get the upper hand on me and I never retaliated. I'd just cast defensive charms. It almost felt like I deserved the abuse. There are still numerous people around Hogwarts that don't have a parent or two because of the Malfoys."

"Tonight Marcus Creevey got lucky. I used to be quicker at casting protective charms, but it has been ages since anyone has dared to attack me. I am a bit out of practice. Binns is covering the Second Great War right now in class and I think it brings out the old resentment," Scorpius finished. Rose hadn't moved. He took this as a positive sign.

"They are all gits," Rose informed him pointedly removing all his doubt.

"It's hard to live with the fact that I hate myself just as much as they do. I can't stand what I represent as the only heir of the Malfoy family," Scorpius breathed. He had never told anyone this, not even Albus.

"Now you listen to me," Rose said, detaching his head from her shoulder so that she could look him firmly in the eyes, "You are smart, talented, and I am pretty sure there is not a single evil bone in your body. You hold doors and don't talk behind peoples back. You can't go around beating yourself up for thing you didn't do. I'm not going to let you. You're too much of a nice bloke."

Scorpius actually managed a half smile. It was nice to hear Rose compliment him. He understood now, why Rose always had some lad hanging off her. It wasn't that she caused blokes to fall for her left and right. No, being in Roses arms made Scorpius feel like he was the only person in the world that mattered. For ages when he had seen her in similar embraces he had always suspected some arduous feelings involved, but now he realized that Rose was just one of these rare individuals that made you feel safe, warm, and at home. People flocked to her out of unimpaired friendship.

"You are something else," Scorpius couldn't help saying.

"So are you, and don't you forget it," Rose encouraged him. She let her arms drop from around him and pulled the bar of chocolate Vlad had given her from her bag. Breaking off a piece she handed it to Scorpius, "have some chocolate. It'll make you feel loads better."

He took the offering and the two began to walk in silence. After a quarter of an hour they neared Gryffindor tower.

"Weasley, thank you for listening to me. I don't have very many people I can talk to about this stuff," Scorpius admitted.

"I'd be happy to do it again, if you ever need to talk something out," Rose informed him. Rose gave him a reassuring squeeze of the hand and advised him, "Keep your head up. You may find that if you have more mates than you think."

With that they parted way.


End file.
